Mehedi Maruf is an opening batsman with plenty of experience at U19 level, having played in eleven matches for the U19 team, however he is yet to play in a first-class fixture. His highest score is only 36, and in the recent tri-nations U19 ODI tournament featuring England and Sri Lanka in Bangladesh, he started the first 3 matches, but was then dropped, featuring in only 2 of the remaining matches. He must find his form with the bat to ensure that he is not just a squad player by the time Bangladesh arrives in Sri Lanka for the U19 World Cup.Chris Oliver January 2006